Mastering The Undershirt

You can wear undershirts for a number of reasons: for warmth, for hygiene or for style.

Although each man has a different reason for sporting an undershirt, he should follow certain guidelines concerning how he wears it. To help you master the art of the undershirt, here is a breakdown of the various types of undershirts and some basic tips for wearing them.

types of undershirts

The A-shirt

Over the past few decades, the A-shirt has become the sort of “black sheep” of undershirts. The media has helped to conjure up the rather unfortunate fate of this article of clothing being associated with gang violence, the lower class and domestic abuse. In case you are unfamiliar with the term “A-shirt,” it is the undershirt that looks like a very thin, ribbed tank top. The ribbing usually ensures that it is seen through the outer shirt.

Although I can think of few situations that actually require wearing an A-shirt, one possible instance might be wearing it under a T-shirt as a sweat-absorbing layer.

The crewneck shirt

Whether you know the term or not, I’d be willing to bet that everyone owns a shirt with a crewneck. These typical round-collar T-shirts are probably the most versatile type of shirt and, consequently, the most popular. Typical use for these shirts might be under a dress shirt with a suit and tie or under a sweater.

The V-neck shirt

Next to the crewneck, V-necks are the most popular choice when it comes to undershirts and can be worn in the same way as crewneck shirts.

undershirt visibility, or lack thereof

When choosing to wear an undershirt, you have two options: You either intend for the undershirt to be seen or to be unseen. Whichever you pick is fine, so long as it looks stylish. Plenty of situations call for undershirts to show. For example, if you are wearing a crewneck undershirt with a button-up dress shirt, but you casually leave the top few buttons undone, your crewneck will undoubtedly peek through. However, if you are dressed in a tuxedo, you’re probably wearing the undershirt for functional purposes and would rather it not show at all.

While making your undershirt visible might seem rather straightforward, having your undershirt remain unseen is not always easy to achieve. To ensure that no one sees your undershirt , go with a crewneck. As mentioned before, the only scenario in which a crewneck could be seen is when you’re wearing a shirt with an open collar. If you insist on wearing a V-neck or an A-shirt, but do not want your undershirt to be seen, I strongly suggest wearing a thicker outer shirt to hide what lies beneath.